Mail-holding attachment.



J. S. JOHNSON.

MAIL. HOLDING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED OGT. 4, 1910.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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MAIL HOLDING ATTACHMENT. APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 4, 1910. 1,052,062, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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JAMES S. JOHNSON, OF ST. PETER, MINNESOTA.

MAIL-HOLDING ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 4, 1910.

Patented Feb. 4,1913. Serial No. 585,315.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. JoHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Peter, in the county of Nicollet, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Holding Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mail holding attachments for letter boxes and has for an object to provide an attachment of this character which will hold the mail out from the side of the mail box so as to be easily grasped and removed by the carrier or owner of the mail box, novel means being provided for mounting the holder so as to fold back against the back of the mail box when not in use, and further novel means being provided for preventing the holder from rotating in but one direction on its axis, so as to facilitate moving the holder to operative position.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various changes may be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mail box equipped with my improved mail holder, Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the holder dotted in released position, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view of the mail holder.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views shown, an ordi nary mail box is shown comprising a rectangular bottom 10 from the side edges of which rise vertical side walls 11 and from the front and rear edges of which rise a front wall 11 and a rear wall 12, the top edges of these walls being connected by a cover 13, this cover being hinged to the back wall as shown at 14 and being provided with an ordinary pad lock or similar lock 15. i

The mail holder comprising the subject matter of this invention consists of a substantially U-shaped frame '16, the limbs 17 of which are centrally provided with orifices 18. The bight of the frame is pro vided with suitable openings 19 through which screws, bolts or like connections are passed to fix the base plate to the rear wall 12 of the mail box.

Journaled in the orifices of the limbs of the frame 16 are the opposite ends of a board 20, this board being preferably formed from a single strip of metal which is rectangular in cross section and is provided terminally with reduced cylindrical gudgeons 21 which engage in the orifices of the limbs 17. A substantially V-shaped spring clip has its closed end fixed to the board 20 at right angles thereto medially thereof as at 23, the free divergent lips 22 of said clip being outwardly curled as at 24, these outwardly curled extremities performing a function of guides to direct the mail matter in between the lips. It is. now clear that these spring lips 22, being fixed to the board 20. are rotatable in an arc and are adapted to lie back against the rear wall of the mail box when released, but when in operated position are adapted to be extended approximately at right angles to this wall in which position mail matter inserted between these lips 22 may be readily grasped and removed.

For preventing the mail holding lips from rotating in a semi-circle, a stop 25 is fixed to the outer face of the outermost lip. This stop is formed from a single plate of metal having one edge adapted to be brazed soldered or otherwise secured to one of the resilient lips and having an edge extending at right angles to the secured end, this free edge being adapted to en gage the rear wall of the mail box and prevent rotation of the resilient lips beyond a position perpendicular to the rear wall of the mail box. It is now clear that by virtue of this stop preventing rotation of the mail holding lips beyond a perpendicular to the rear wall, that particular care need not be taken in rocking the lips to operative position and all the operator must do is to rock the lips outwardly upon their axle until the stop binds against the base plate.

What is claimed, is

In a device of the class described, a substantielly U-shaped frame, a flat board havfor Contact With the frame to limit the ing journal ends loosely engaged in the swinging movement of the clip. 10 limbs of said frame for swinging move- In testimony whereof, I afliX my Signetment, at substantially V-shaped spring clip tnre in presence of two Witnesses.

having its closed end fixed to the board JAMES S. JOHNSON.

at right angles thereto medially thereof, l Vitnesses: the free ends of said clip being outwardly WILLIAM MALLGREN, curled, and a stop Wing mounted on the clip EDWIN LINDBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of fatents, Washington, D. C. 

